USDA keeps farm losses secret

COLUMBIA -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture will not release 84 pages of documents in response to a reporter's Freedom of Information Act request for reports about agricultural losses.

Secretary Tom Vilsack had cited the reports in his decision to declare 36 counties disaster areas eligible to apply for emergency, low-interest loans. The designation also included 10 contiguous South Carolina counties, six in Georgia and 14 in North Carolina.

Months of heavy rainfall starting in March were said to have damaged farming operations and soil conditions, prompting the governor and state and federal officials to tour Harleyville's Pendarvis Farms in August.

"The amount of rain this year has been disastrous for our farmers and the rain is impacting our economy as we speak," said Gov. Nikki Haley, in an Aug. 19 press release.

Haley had requested the federal designation on Aug. 13, according to Vilsack's letter.

Under the process outlined on the governor's website, first Farm Service Agency county offices inspect crop and structural damage across the state.

If the damage exceeds 30 percent, the FSA recommends the governor request a disaster declaration from the USDA.

But details about the circumstances that may qualify those agricultural businesses for public assistance are not for public viewing. And an inquiry to FSA for only the names of the producers that reported losses and could be eligible for government help received no response.

In his Aug. 28 response to the Republican governor, Vilsack wrote:

"The Department of Agriculture has reviewed the Loss Assessment Reports and has determined that there were sufficient production losses in 36 counties to warrant a Secretarial disaster designation."

What's in South Carolina's Loss Assessment Reports?

In its Sept. 9 response to a reporter's FOIA request, the agency refused to release them.